Help for English Students

How Much Should I Study?

This is a tough question and it depends a lot on the individual student. I did nothing but study in Year 12, while my husband (who, to be fair, completed his studies in a different system) cruised through on the minimum and we ended up with roughly similar results.

I should add that studying that much did not make me very happy and that you need to acknowledge that you have other priorities in life. I’ve known senior students who had responsibilities outside of the classroom ranging from part time jobs and romantic relationships to working almost full time in a family business or being the primary carer for a sick parent.

The following is a rough guide. You need to work out how much time you have to spend and what kind of result you want. You should also look at my upcoming post on how to study smarter.

The indicative number of hours for English (Advanced or Standard) is 120. That means that over the four terms of the HSC, you should spend roughly 120 hours sitting in English class.

My advice is try for one hour of work outside of class for every hour that you’re in it. That sounds like a lot, I know; but if you’re smart about it, it means treating the HSC like a full time job and it can prevent assessment-hopping and the night-before panic that is endemic in HSC students. Yes, there will still be assessment pile-ups at certain times of each term, so make sure you give yourself a break afterwards. Making the time and using it well right from the beginning of the year will mean less stress around exam time.

Suggestions to find more time:

use free periods for studying, not socialising (or form a study group and do a little of both)

work in the library after school, even if it’s just for an hour

if you can, quit your after school job, or cut back your hourse (I recognise this isn’t possible for all students)

if you can, cut back time spent on time-consuming co-curricular sports (unless this is your downtime)

if you can, limit the number of subjects you’re doing (YOU SHOULD CONSULT WITH PARENTS/TEACHERS/ADVISORS ABOUT THIS ONE) I think it’s better to do a few things really well rather than overloading yourself with the promise of a “safety net” (AGAIN, THIS IS JUST MY OPINION)

ration time consuming recreational activities like video games – set an alarm to tell you when it’s time to turn off the xbox or log out of WoW

use those in-between moments in a smart way: catch the bus to school? crank up some educational podcasts on your iPod (list forthcoming in future post); always waiting for friends or parents? carry one text book with you and give it a quick reread rather than playing Angry Birds on your phone

The most important thing is to be realistic. You’re old enough and have been a student long enough to have at least some sense of what kind of student you are. If you know you need a break after twenty minutes, program one in; if you know you’re not going to study on Saturday because of sporting commitments, find the time on Sunday. Don’t be too hard on yourself either. Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t.